(From top) Abu Naschim Ahmed, Parvez Aziz and Sujoy Tarafdar

Guwahati, Aug. 29: Unlike Laxmi Ratan Shukla of Bengal, the three promising cricketers from Assam — Abu Naschim Ahmed, Parvez Aziz and Sujoy Tarafdar — who switched loyalty to the rebel Indian Cricket League yesterday, have refused to sever ties with the ICL. But the trio wishes to play for Assam too if they get the “opportunity in future”.

Breaking their silence after they deserted the touring Assam team that is participating in the Mindtech Buchi Babu Invitation Tournament in Chennai yesterday, all three players today told The Telegraph over phone from Chennai that there was “no scope of pulling out of the contract we have signed with the ICL”.

“We have already signed contracts with the ICL. We have not given any thought on pulling out because there is no such provision in the contract,” said Ahmed. Aziz and Tarafdar echoed him.

The players’ remarks came close on the heels of the Assam Cricket Association (ACA) claiming that ICL chairman Kapil Dev has promised to spare two of the four Assam players the breakaway league has signed to help Assam tide over the crisis in the season ahead.

“Kapil Dev has committed to me that he would take up the matter with the contract signing authorities and try his best to help ACA retain the players,” secretary of the association Bikash Baruah said today.

The players said they are being provided with facilities, which are on a par with those given by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The trio added that they would join the coaching camps at Mayajaal Sports Complex in Chennai tomorrow.

Although the three players kept their cellphones switched off since they deserted the team hotel yesterday morning, The Telegraph contacted them over phone while they visited the Assam team hotel this afternoon on invitation by the Assam Cricket Academy’s chief coach Rajesh Bora.

“I was the highest wickettaker for Assam in the last two Ranji seasons. However, the East Zone selectors never considered me even for the trials,” countered Tarafdar when asked if he would consider returning to the association if ICL chief Kapil Dev asked him to do so in view of the crisis back home.

“We will get the opportunity to play with greats like Brian Lara and Inazamam-ul Haq which we can rarely expect playing under the BCCI,” Ahmed and Aziz said in unison. All of them, however, asserted that they would “definitely love to play for Assam” if a situation for it comes an opportunity came in the future. “We are ready to play as usual in the state teams if the BCCI and ACA allow us,” Ahmed said.